1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control system for a vehicle. More specifically, the invention relates to a control system that allows for fully automated and safe vehicle operations.
2. Description of the Background Art
Currently, there are a variety of technologies for automated vehicle operations. However, to date, none of these technologies have been deployed on a large scale. One suggested approach is to use a sensor to follow an implanted wire, a series of magnetic markers, a painted line, or some physical structure. Another approach is to place a detailed map in a vehicle computer and use signals from Global Positioning Satellites for vehicle position and control.
However, these and other methods for automated vehicle control have a variety of shortcomings. For example, they do not address the issue of vehicle traction, nor do they address issues related to wireless interference. These issues must be adequately addressed insomuch as any system, when deployed on a large scale, will include vehicles moving in large numbers and at high rates of speed. A fully automated vehicle control system must be able to handle this.
In known automated systems there is no means for dealing with snow, wind, ice, rain, sand, grease, any sort of slick spots. This is referred to as traction. These systems also rely on wireless communication for travel information. Wireless communication is subject to a variety of disruption. These include lightning, smoke, fire, fog, smog, mist, electromagnetic interference, radio waves, microwaves, power failure, and loss of satellite signal or loss of any signal. Failures related to traction and/or wireless interference are unacceptable and would fatally undermine, any automated system.
The present automated vehicle system overcomes these deficiencies by providing positive vehicle traction under any weather conditions and by providing fail safe control under all kinds of atmospheric conditions. Moreover, the disclosed automated system allows vehicles to be under positive control at all times even when vehicles are changing from one roadway to another.